1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method in support of glass design. More particularly, the present invention relates to a computer aided glass composition design apparatus used in the selection and design of a composite of vitrifying multielement composite oxides and various physical property values of glass materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Materials known as "new glass" having properties which are different from those of conventional glass materials are now attracting widespread attention, and various types of glass materials falling into the "new glass" category have been developed. As typically represented by glass materials used for optical fibers, these materials now play an important role in supporting the present information age. As with other ceramic materials, glass materials having utilities which are quite different from those of the conventional glass materials are being studied for use in optoelectronic, electrical and electronic, and biological and biochemical fields.
However, since these new glass materials are composite compositions comprising many compounds, particularly many oxides, it is not easy to achieve desired physical properties by precisely controlling their composition.
It is therefore necessary to accumulate experimental findings through innumerable trials and utilize such findings in the development of the new glass materials. The selection of raw material compositions and component ratios thus entails substantial time and labor.
It has therefore been very difficult to practically achieve a glass composition having desired prescribed physical properties.